Redefining Local Democracy

Abstract

This chapter is concerned with potential solutions to the crisis of local government and democracy. It takes inspiration from Phillips’s argument (see Chapter 2) which establishes that democracy matters and that local democracy has many positive attractions. Democracy matters as a safety net against tyranny or corruption. Opportunities for political participation also matter because they help reduce inequalities in the distribution of power and encourage a responsiveness to individual and collective needs. Local government and democracy is especially attractive because it involves a decentralisation of power and the opportunity to use local knowledge to meet local needs. Above all, local democracy can rest its claim on being the most accessible avenue for political participation. It is in local politics that people feel most competent and are most immediately engaged.